North Third: Basil Bourbon Bomb

Nestled in the heart of Northern Liberties in Philadelphia is North Third.

North Third’s cocktail menu is full of infused spirit cocktails. And, one of my personal favorite of these unique cocktails is their Basil Bourbon Bomb.

The basil-infused Old Grandad Bourbon with lemon and honey is a new take on a North Third classic. Serving as one of the general managers, Drew created this refreshing bourbon cocktail at his home while experimenting with herbs he grew in his garden. While his education is in politics, his passion lies in the restaurant industry. Drew had the opportunity to work at Parc, one of the most respected and desirable places to work in Philadelphia. After his stint at Parc, he moved to a different restaurant across the city where he explored his passion and developed the restaurant’s cocktail menu. Needing a change of pace, he found his new home at North Third, arguably the area’s busiest restaurant, where he currently co-manages North Third and maintains the restaurant’s cocktail menu.

Though the menu is packed with various infused-spirit-based cocktails, the Basil Bourbon Bomb stands alone as the only whiskey cocktail on the menu.

Drew hit the mark with this one.

He infuses Old Grandad Bourbon for 48 hours with basil. This creates a unique aromatic experience giving the drinker, as the name suggests, an explosion of basil aroma on the nose. The palate is more subtle with the basil flavor, but it’s very well balanced. The honey and lemon complement the basil while still making the bourbon the star of the show. I enjoyed this on a hot August evening and was incredibly refreshing while satisfying my thirst for a whiskey. If you’re ever in Northern Liberties, take the short walk from 2nd Street to the corner of Brown and 3rd., sit down and take a sip.

Cheers!